Hodge leads Rajasthan to Qualifier 2

Brad Hodge launched a brutal attack on Hyderabad's bowlers and led a sensational fightback for Rajasthan, who forced their way into the second qualifier with a four-wicket victory, where they face Mumbai to battle for a place in the final.

Rajasthan, chasing a modest 133 against a quality Hyderabad attack were in all sorts of trouble at 57/5 before Hodge came to the crease and blasted an unbeaten 54 off 29 balls, studded with two fours and five sixes to help his team cross the line in the last over, ironically against Darren Sammy, who kept Hyderabad in the hunt all through, first with a sizzling cameo, followed by a sensational catch to dismiss Shane Watson and then two wickets to keep Rajasthan under pressure.

Rajasthan's opening firm of Rahul Dravid and Ajinkya Rahane was separated early when the former perished to Ishant Sharma in the second over of the chase. Watson joined Rahane in the middle and raced away to a quick 24 before failing to clear a leaping Sammy at deep midwicket. Rahane and Stuart Binny were dismissed within seven runs of Watson's exit and it seemed like Hyderabad's bowlers would come to the rescue again despite another poor show by the batsmen.

However, that was not to be on Wednesday. Hodge decided to turn the game on its head, taking 16 runs off young leg-spinner Karan Sharma in the 14th over of the innings. That counter-offence took Hyderabad completely by surprise at a phase when they thought they had the game well under control.

Dale Steyn and Thisara Perera did create some pressure, making it difficult for Hodge and Faulkner to cut loose towards the end but Hodge clobbered Sammy for two successive sixes off the first two balls in the final over as Hyderabad crashed to a heart-breaking defeat.

Earlier, after electing to bat, Hyderabad were tottering at 3/2, thanks to a double-blow by Vikramjeet Malik, who removed Parthiv Patel and Hanuma Vihari. However, skipper Cameron White (31 off 28 balls) finally found some form to lead a mini-recovery with Shikhar Dhawan (33 off 39 balls) before Sammy cracked three sixes in his 21-ball 29 as Hyderabad finished with 132/7 off their 20 overs.

Hyderabad's batsmen had had a torrid time all through the season and they continued to flop in their most crucial game of the year against a disciplined Rajasthan bowling attack.

Patel had found some form in the latter half of Hyderabad's campaign and his dismissal hurt the team, who was banking on a solid start by the openers. Much was expected also of the young Vihari, who had shown flashes of brilliance this season but he perished to Malik, trying to pull a ball short of the length on a pitch where the ball did not come on to the bat.

The in-form Dhawan was forced to drop anchor as White played some shots to get the run-rate moving but he was done in by Kevon Cooper with Hyderabad reduced to 55/3.

Sammy was sent up the order to bolster the scoring-rate and the West Indian did a good job too, sending the ball flying over the ropes three times in his 29 but that was far from enough as Dhawan struggled to break the shackles. The Indian southpaw finally fell to Faulkner, trying to play a cheeky shot over short-fine leg. Hyderabad did not get much help from the lower-order after Sammy departed and regular wickets by the Rajasthan bowlers kept White's side to a modest 132, which was never going to be enough against a strong batting line-up.

Rajasthan were the winners of the first edition of the Indian T20 League but have been disappointing over the last four years. They are just one win away from making it to the final and becoming only the third team besides Chennai and Bangalore to reach there more than once.